Premonitions
by KrysOfInsanity
Summary: Seien is 18, about to go off to college when she is kidnapped by the Spirit Dective and friends to discover SHE'S A PRINCESS? She's unwillingly given 4 body gaurds by Koenma. HieiXOC Rated M for language, violence, and later some hentai.
1. College, My Ass

_The door slid open with an ever so slight creak and Seien peeked out through the crack. In the dim light a black figure stood; a hooded face with bright scarlet eyes. The eyes widened and the shadowed form quickly turned and ran down the short hallway and twisted around going down the stairs in what was more of a glide than a sprint._

"_HEY!"_

_Seien whipped the door completely open and attempted to follow the figure, skidding down the hall in an awkward run._

Bolting upright, Seien woke up from the familiar dream. Every night, for the past month they had happened.

Premonitions.

She had never had them quite so badly before however. Never so real. Never so much. Never so unexplained. It was taking too long to happen. For the dream to come true.

Seien reached out in the darkness and switched on the squat purple lamp on her night stand. She flung the covers off her and went to her dresser, bare, save the lamp. She was nervous, moving tomorrow. College, she had been so excited. Until the first week had past and her dream keep returning; not having come to true.

Looking in the mirror, Seien pulled her long, red mane of hair back and touched her face. It was drenched in a feverish sweat. Again.

There was a knock on the door, her mother. Seien called out, "I just woke up mom! I'm going back to sleep right now, don't worry."

_Rap, rap, rap. _This time it was harder, more forceful and demanding. _What could mom want?_

She cracked open the door, expecting her mom's tired face to be there. But, no, _the dream_. Seien wasted no time pondering what to do. After a split second of staring the red-eyed figure hurtled its way down the hallway and steps, Seien chasing after it. Who was she to question fate the way it showed itself to her?

She reached the steps, wondering what next? Her dream always ended here. And it was the most bizarre thing to have ever happened. A person in her house in the dead of night? No, she was used to glimpses of nights out with her best friends laughing and joking. A test going well and best of all, a dream where she saw the letter of acceptance to Tokyo University, her number one choice of schools.

All too quickly, Seien found out what next. She tripped down the stairs on a stack on laundry and she went soaring down the flight of steps along with half a dozen freshly washed sheets.

She was not knocked entirely unconscious, but the pain shooting up her left hand left her mind blank. Biting her lip to ward off the insane ache, she sat up. She was on the landing of the stairs and the hooded-being was at the bottom.

It made a noise, a "Huh" of disappointment at the end of the chase. It quickly shot towards the kitchen; and the back door. Seien was crying, bawling silently. She made no move to get up. She slumped down against the wall.

It was hours before she moved. It was like she failed a test. An important one, and if she hadn't tripped she would've accomplished something great. It was so bizarre, so random. It was so... utterly disappointing that all her dream had shown her was this.

Getting up and walking in to the kitchen, Seien discovered the back door was locked. There was no way to have gotten in. The windows were locked as well.

Shaking her head in confusion, Seien wrapped her wrist up, she was sure she had sprained it since it was swollen and continued to throb.

She made her way up back up to her room and she noticed something she hadn't seen in her dream. A piece of particularly thick paper was lying in the hall, just before her door.

Seien trotted over, her hope renewed that something would come of this. She picked up the paper and read the scribbley, but legible writing.

_Miss Seien,_

_I regret to tell you that your plans for college must wait. You will be in terrible danger during the next several months. If you will meet with me tomorrow in the cemetery near you house I will explain why. This is NOT a request. If you do not arrive promptly at 9:00 AM tomorrow I will have no choice but to send force. I would rather you be willing to accept protection then to have to resort to such means._

_Forgive my rudeness, but your life is in jeopardy._

The paper floated down silently to the white carpeted floor as Seien tossed the paper aside. Not go to college? Yeah, right. Seien laughed. This was the beginning of making something happen for herself and Seien was no way in hell not gonna go to college.

_Yeah, I'll show up tomorrow. Only to tell this wacko he's a nut case. Showing up in my house at 2 in the morning? I think not._

Seien checked the time in her room, 6:00 AM. Well, she couldn't do back to sleep, so she jumped in the shower and got dressed in striped halter top, her favorite pair jeans and trusty converse.

She packed up the last of her cosmetics and such in a small case bought especially for the job and began to dry her hair. It ran to the middle of her back in waves and ringlets and was usually pulled back into a messy braid with the shorter pieces around her face left there to frame it.

By the time she was ready it was nearly eight and her mom was downstairs making breakfast already, pancakes, one of her favorites. Her mom had wanted her to get an early start and to get all of her stuff moved in to her dorm and still have enough time to meet people that day.

Eki, her younger brother came wandering down just as she was finishing up. It was around 8:30 and they all began to say good bye. Seien said she'd be back next weekend, if not sooner.

She loaded her last bag into her VW bug, a new one. Her mom and grandma surprised her last year on her birthday with it. An obnoxious lime green bug, a _german _car. She loved it.

She climbed in, tossing her purse on the passenger seat, the only empty one in the car. The other ones were packed with boxes.

She was grinning as she pulled into the parking lot of the cemetery. It was an odd sensation, knowing that you'll be beating the crap out of somebody. Seien parked the car and climbed out.

She wasn't sure were she was supposed to go. There was nobody here. Seien glanced around and started walking towards the enormous tombstone on top of a small hill in the middle of the graveyard.

In her mind, she thought it was the only place you could expect anybody to find you if you were meeting.

Halfway there, she was tackled by a black haired kid a few inches taller than her. She struggled to get him off. Eventually sitting up. He looked at her and grinned. _Brown eyes. It's not him…_

"Hey! What the hell was that for?" Seien yelled, "I don't have time for this, I'm supposed to be meeting somebody here."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, that would be me!" said the punk, "I'm Yusuke Urameshi and I'm here to take you to your new home."

"HA! I don't think so, sorry, but I'm not going ANYWHERE." Ron started off towards her car. She was annoyed as hell. Some fucking prank that was what this was! She wasted enough time on this idiot already.

"Then why ya walking so damn FAST? Don't cha even wanna know what's going on? I mean, you're gonna die if we don't help you!" He, Yusuke, was trotting behind her, looking a bit worried.

"Oh, of course I am," Seien opened the car door, "eventually."

The car door jerked out of her hands, a crimsoned-eye guy dressed all in black, pushed in shut.

"You're not going anywhere," he said in deadly quiet voice. It sent shivers up Seien's back.

And being stubborn as always, she simple spat in the dude's face, screamed, "Bite me!" Then, bolted towards the woods and the path to her house in them.

She didn't get very far. Not even a quarter of the way there and she was thrown over the red-eyed man's shoulder and being carried off.

"Let's get back to Koenma's, Yusuke, I'm tired of chasing humans."


	2. You've Got Some Mouth on You, Girl

There was a bizarre flash of light and Seien's squirming was put to an end as she was dumped to the floor in front of a toddler?!

"What the fuck is going on!" screeched Seien. This day was NOT going as planned.

"Language please!" said the little kid.

"Yeah, go tell it mommy," she said and looked up to her two kidnappers and two other guys in the room. She pointed at Koenma, "explain that. And everything else while you're at it."

"Hey! That would be my job!" Koenma said, "Princess Seien, I am Koenma, Prince of the Spirit World, and I've called you here to warn you and offer protection from your enemies."

"Hold up there, squirt," Seien interrupted, standing up, "Princess? Yeah, I don't think so."

"No, no, no. You are the heir to Kingdom Kumori in Makai. The Princess of Kumori. Your father won it in a bet. That he would rule the Kingdom after the old King died. And since you're father is dead you will inherit it."

Seien looked at Koenma and laughed, "My dad was a salesman. Of course he won a bet and got a Kingdom. What kind of joke is this?"

"He won it in black jack. To a very drunk youkai that happened to be a bit too cocky and bet his kingdom. I don't think your father knew quite what he won."

"No, duh, he didn't. But, why did you have to kidnap me to tell me this?" Seien asked, "Or have Mr. Flame-eyes break into my house?"

She glared at him.

Hiei, of course being the hooded figure in her house, had been looking at her, staring in fact. It wasn't as if he had never seen a girl before, she was just, different. Cocky and mouthy, and he didn't have a doubt that she knew back at the graveyard that 1) she had annoyed him and 2) could killed her in a second. She might be human, but her aura was too strong for her to not be able to sense another's power.

Yet, the whole way here she cursed worse than a sailor and kicked and punched and flailed at him. Yusuke had laughed at him and he hadn't said a word.

When she looked at him, he pause a second his eyes wide, startled and looked down. Just like at the house, he hadn't left and when she opened the door… She looked a bit shocked, but then… satisfied?

"Hiei was only delivering a message. You weren't supposed to see him," Koenma explained. Hiei's cheeks turned pink, knowing he had been caught.

"Not to mention he kidnapped me!" Seien added still looking at Hiei, thinking he should explain himself.

"Sorry, that's just Hiei. He's like that," said a calm, smooth voice, coming from a red haired youth, "I'm Suichi Minamino, but everyone here calls me Kurama. And this is Kuwabara, we're the only two you haven't met."

He smiled and held out his hand. Seien reached out to shake it, but was met with a kiss instead.

There was a disgusted "Hn" from the corner and Hiei went back to looking at the ground when Seien glanced over.

"So, you're the guy that won't let chivalry die, eh?" Seien joked, reclaiming her hand.

"Alright, there's enough time for introductions later." Koenma began, "You all will be seeing plenty of each other. Princess Seien meet your body guards. As well, as you personal trainers. You'll all be staying with Genkai, she needs to learn to defend herself if she's going to rule a demon kingdom!"

Leaving no time for her to argue, Koenma summoned another portal and pushed her out.

She landed faced down in the graveyard, followed by her four new body guards. All of them had landed on their feet.

"So," Seien said, propping her head up on her elbow, "What're we gonna do now?"

"Go to your new home, Genkai's Temple," Kurama said smiling.

"Well, you're not all gonna fit in my car," Ron replied, "Especially that oaf, Kuwa-what's-it."

"MY NAME IS KWABARA AND I-"

"Yeah, yeah, cut the crap," Yusuke interrupted, "She's right, we're not all gonna fit in the car."

"No, but you three can, I'm sure," Hiei said, "I'll take the girl with me. We'll be there before you, you know."

Before, anybody could question him, Hiei took off, Seien, was once again, flung over his shoulder.

Kurama chuckled_. Hiei doesn't like not understanding. He doesn't like to meet someone different. It might mean he actually likes them…_ He shook his head and peered into the VW. There were only two seats clear.

Seien had thought she would be gone for a moment and her keys and purse were left in the car. The car was also unlocked. Kurama was the only one responsible enough to drive.

Or legally allowed too…

"I CALL SHOTGUN!" screamed Yusuke, diving into the car, THROUGH the driver's side. The remaining seat: the middle back one, with heavy boxes of book stacked on either side.

There was enough room to loop the seat belt around a person, but there was only a slim ledge to squeeze onto. For a small person.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME, URAMESHI!" bellowed Kuwabara, "I CAN'T SIT BACK THERE! YOU'RE SMALLER! YOU GO!"

"Not a chance, dimwit," Yusuke said, sticking his tongue out and buckling himself in. Kurama held open his door and pushed back the seat for Kuwabara to get in. And after much grumbling and almost being left behind, Kuwabara finally got in.

---------

Seien had never liked that wind in your face whooshing speed of a roller coaster feeling that she expected. After he claimed to be able to get there first, Seien had anticipated a huge barf session.

But, she opened her eyes, and it was more like everything was in slow motion. Wind rushed by and Seien couldn't hear a thing. Images ran past her face like an old movie; flickering and blurry. Her arms trailed out in front of her like her hair, they were moving so fast she couldn't pull them in.

She took a deep breathe; the air was cold and sharp.

Suddenly, she realized she was still gliding through the air and Hiei was standing in front of her. Then, she smacked into a tree.

She fell heavily to the base of it, an enormous oak.

_You ok?_

_Yeah, luckily my ASS broke my fall. So, I'm ok, although I'm not sure it will ever be the same shape_, Seien shot back.

Hiei's mouth twitched in annoyance. _So, she was a telepath as well._ He wouldn't let himself be surprised. There was a slight poke at his invisible, yet still reddish- purple, aura, by another's.

Her aura.

Seien was still lying sprawled under the tree, but her aura, a bubbly sort of aqua, was prodding at Hiei. She wanted an apology for being flung into a tree.

_Not on your life, woman._ Hiei replied sensing what she wanted.

The aura poked harder.

_Stop TOUCHING me!_ He appeared abruptly, holding her shoulder to the tree, katana under her throat. He held her an inch above the ground, his arm raised slightly. They were the exact same height, excluding his hair….

"_You're_ the one touching me." Seien smirked, "Now get off."

She attempted to shrug him off. He didn't let go, but slid the katana gently under her chin, letting a drop of blood slid down the blade.

He grunted, let her slid to the ground, reminding her, _don't fuck with me, missy._

All that and Seien was still stupid or ballsy enough to say _Go fuck yourself then…_

Hiei acted as if she hadn't said a word and tossed her over his shoulder again, not explaining why they had stopped in the first place.


	3. Lighten Up A Bit Dude

Back to gliding…. Which was cool, but uneventful…. Seien was staring at her hands, thinking how she could get Hiei to stop. He was pointedly ignoring the telepathic pleas she sent. She was starting to lose the feeling in her arms and wanted to be carried differently, piggy-back, bridal style, whatever. It really didn't matter to Ron so long as she wasn't flailing about behind him.

_Wait a second,_ she thought, shifting around a bit, _HA! I was right after all that squirming around he didn't notice._

Now, positioned just right and using her aura as a guide, Seien let her left leg shoot up. Right, smack between Hiei's eyes. They both flew to the ground, rolling, tumbling and bumping along the forest's floor. Seien landed straddling Hiei's chest.

"Oh," mumbled a shocked Seien, "I only wanted to get you to stop to ask you if you had to carry me like that…"

Truth be told, Hiei had not been ignoring her, purposely. He was lost in thought, about, duh, duh, duh, SEIEN! Earlier he had been reading her thoughts of the sort of flying run Hiei had. This particular one was of the weightlessness her arms had and Seien had wondered if her whole body would feel that way if Hiei was dragging her along by only her foot.

He desperately wanted to do this. Let her flop along behind him like that. Revenge of course, nobody spat at him and got away with it. Or told him to go fuck himself.

_Insolent brat…she would be taught._ And with that thought his mind slowly drifted off wondering about this odd, brazen girl. And why he felt he couldn't punish her…

_Why is that?_ He mused,_ she's peculiar. The second I go to slit her throat I want another reason to. I want her to defy me again. I want her…_

There ended Hiei's train of thought. Being kicked in the face unexpectedly is a bit of an astonishment to anyone. After a moment of tumbling around on the ground Hiei opened his eyes to find the brat sitting on top of him.

He's eyes narrowed, "Of course not... you Highness."

He shoved her off him.

And drug her off by her foot.

---------

"AREWETHEREYET!" screamed Yusuke. Kurama swerved the car violently to right. Yusuke had found that it was much more frustrating to randomly scream it then repeating it on end. And Kurama didn't know when to expect it.

Kurama had pulled the car over to the side of the road. _Where's Hiei when you need_ _violence?_

He stopped the car and pointed, "Get. Out."

Yusuke got out of the car, whining, "Oh, yeah, what for? You gonna leave me here, fox boy?"

"Precisely." Kurama dived back into the car and sped off, leaving a dumbstruck Yusuke behind.

Kuwabara had been snoozing; snoring and drooling profusely in the back seat and didn't wake up or notice at all that they were down a man.

Kurama smiled. He sensed Hiei in the woods close at the side of the road. He was angry, as well as confused. Kurama hadn't ever seen him attracted to anybody. Lust every once in awhile, but that was quickly fixed.

It didn't help that Ron wouldn't treat him as everyone else did. She was stupid and purposely annoyed the shit out of him because she could. And Hiei wasn't about to murder her as he did whenever he felt slightly lustful of any girl. First and foremost, he wasn't about to risk being imprisoned by Koenma for killing the girl he was supposed to be protecting and second, Kurama thought Hiei knew it might be something different. And Hiei was curious. He wanted to know more.

_Ah, well, _thought Kurama, _it's about time Hiei got himself a girlfriend._

Driving was calm without Yusuke bugging him, trying to get him to promise to drive him places. Kurama didn't tell him he got his license for a REASON.

Kuwabara was snoring pretty loudly, but it no where near drown out the scream Kurama just heard, coming from the woods.

Hiei was approching the woods, Kurama could feel it.

---------

Seien let out a blood curdling scream as Hiei let her flap around behind him like a piece of clothing. Her arms were wrapped in front of her face, she kept smacking against the ground.

_FUCKING DEMON!_ She thought,_ I DIDN'T MEAN I WANTED TO BE DRAGGED BEHIND YOU!_

_Not my fault you're an idiot_ came the reply.

In the blink of an eye they appeared out no the street, over taking a small green car. Seien had her eyes shut as she was lifted gently into the air by a vine wrapped around her waist.

Kurama was standing outside by the open car door, Rose Whip in hand. Hiei was looking up at her, his eyes glowing with some unknown emotion; satisfaction, confusion, a tingly feeling in his chest...

Seien was lowered carefully to the ground. When she got there and felt the firm, unmoving ground below her, she looked ready to cry. She sat there, pitifully. Her nose was bleeding, as well as a gash on her cheek and her left eye was puffing up, blue and black and yellow. The bandage on her one wrist was covered in black earth and there were two rips in her skin below her elbows.

_You VOLUNTEERED to take her Hiei!_ Kurama glared at him, jogging over to lift Seien off the ground. Hiei didn't answer, except to get to her first. He scooped her up like a bride and streaked off in to the woods again.

_She needed to learn her place..._

Kurama sighed. Hiei needed to lighten up a bit. _Maybe I could help..._ he thought and glanced to the woods and then to the sleeping Kuwabara._ Hmm..._

After hiding the car in the brush he jogged up to the woods, trying to remember the right combination of herbs.

_Hmmm…_ Kurama was bent down, examining a small bush with yellow flowers. _I don't think a standard love potion is going to cut it. Hiei will realize what's going on. And possibly blame Ron for it. Maybe dreams about her will help him realize._

_No, I don't want them to find out…. I don't want either Hiei or Seien to blame me and say that this potion was the only reason they felt this way._

Kurama stood back up and walked back towards the road. _Hmm…. Yes, I suppose if I were to make a potion I should make sure of this whole situation. I should talk to Seien. I'm assuming too much. Hiei definitely had a thing for her. I need to at least tell her of it. Even if she doesn't feel the same way._

---------

Hiei was speeding through the forest once again with Seien. She was clutching the white collar of Hiei's cloak. She was still treacherously close to tears.

_I did nothing to deserve being treated that way._

Hiei looked down at her, she was staring into his face. He looked away, thinking, wondering, _Why do I feel like this? What IS this?_

Hiei mentally listed off what it might be. _Hate, no. Anger, no. Lust...This is ridiculous. I'm going to have to hope this goes away._

"If you can't take a few scratches like that you're never going to rule a youkai kingdom, let alone get through training with Genkai," he said.

Seien answered him, burying her face into his shoulder _I don't even want to rule a kingdom…_

_Hn. Doesn't matter if you WANT to. We're all forced into things we don't want to do._ Ron caught a flash of memories Hiei hadn't hidden, forgetting that she was a telepath and in his mind as much as he was in hers.

She gasped at the memory of Hiei getting his Jagan eye, finding Yukina, visiting the village were he was born, learning of his mother's suicide.

Hiei kept running. After a few minutes he said, "You've been through worse than this. Perhaps not physical pain, but it's pain none-the-less. Accept it. Or you'll kill yourself before you ever get close to ruling Kumori."

"Psh," Seien replied, turning her face towards his, "I'm not gonna kill myself. I'll leave that up to you. You seem to be good at it."

Hiei glanced down at her, lying in his arms with a grin pasted on her face. He looked back up and let out his own small smile.

---------

Yusuke was staggering up the side of the road. There hadn't been any cars on the road, so he hadn't even had a chance to hitchhike. He dropped to the ground, panting like crazy and cursing Kurama.

In his new position on the ground Yusuke saw something he hadn't before. A lime green VW bug.

He laughed. _What the hell?_

Yusuke stood up and peered into the car. Kurama wasn't there, but Kuwabara was drooling and babbling in his sleep.

He flung open the door and pushed Kuwabara out. The idiot, Kuwabara, merely flailed around on the rock for a second. Then, he lay still, face down in the dirt; soon to be mud from the gallons of drool he that was issuing from his enormous maw.

Yusuke kicked him. Kuwabara twitched, and then Yusuke trotted over to the other side of the car, got in, and sped away. (Illegally I might add.)

About a minute and a half later, Kurama emerges, carrying a few herbs in his hand. Not missing a beat, he realizes the car ISN'T there and runs to the street in the nick of time to see a lime blob swerving over the road in the distance.


	4. PEDOPHILE!

The whole gang arrived at Genkai's temple around 2:30. Considering they had been to see Koenma, and the whole time difference between the worlds. They made decent time. It was only about an half hour's drive from Seien's house to Genkai's

Hiei and Seien were there 1st. They flew in threw a window in the kitchen were Seien was suddenly dropped on the hard green and blue tiled floor.

"Oomph," Seien sighed. Her already bruised bum landed before her back and then her head smacked against the clean, shiny floor. Hiei looked down at her without emotion and she told him, "You're a bastard, you know that?"

"Hn," he said and leaned against the small piece of blank wall next to the refrigerator. Genkai was standing in the doorframe next to him. She walked swiftly over to Seien, bending over her and asking, "What are you doing loafing about on my kitchen floor for?"

"Loafing? More like dying!" Seien exclaimed. She pointed at Hiei, "That bastard seems to think I like getting the shit beat out of me."

Genkai stood up straight, giving Seien enough room to stagger to her feet, "Don't blame others for your weakness. The others will be here soon, you can get unpacked in one of the guest rooms. We start training tomorrow. I'll see you at dinner."

She, Genkai, walked out the same doorway she came in. (There are two in the kitchen; one leading to the dining room and the other to the living room. And from the living room you can get to the study. It's like a big square.) Right on cue the front door (in the living room) opened with a bang and Kurama strolled into the doorway carrying two heavy boxes of books.

"Hello again, Seien, Hiei," He nodded at the fire youkai and continued, "Yusuke, Kuwabara and I are taking your stuff upstairs. It'll only take one more trip to get the rest. I don't think i'll help them anymore though. I ended up having to carry Kuwabara on my back half the way here. It would've taken all night if I hadn't ran. Yusuke stole the car. Don't even ask how. Follow me and you can pick out a room."

Seien and Kurama walked out into the living room with a huge over stuffed black leather sofa and two enormous red reclining chairs; not to mention Genkai's elaborate entertainment system.

At the top of the stairs was a large landing with six doors. Kurama set down the boxes he was carrying. Pointing towards each door Kurama told her what each was, "That's Genkai's room, the bathroom, Yukina's room, you'll meet her soon, I believe she's out shopping with Boton and Keiko. That one on the end there is Hiei's and the other two are empty."

Seien opened the door to the room closest to the bathroom. It was a decent room with a view of the enormous set of stairs in front of the temple. Yusuke and Kuwabara were climbing it, with boxes in tow.

"Oh my god!" Seien said, her eyes wide, "I didn't know you had to climb all those stairs! You shouldn't have to carry my books all the way up there!"

Kurama, standing behind her, chuckled, "It's really no problem. They aren't as heavy to me as they would be to you. And Yusuke's just being lazy. Anyways, look back out the window. Hiei's gone to help."

Seien looked back out. Yusuke and Kuwabara were now lying on the stairs. No boxes in sight. "Huh..."

Seien walked back out to the hall. Hiei was leaning on a stack of boxes surrounded by three suitcases. Kurama smiled, "You certainly read a lot."

Seien opened the door into the other room which was next to Hiei's, but she was still looking back at the two demons. Hiei was watching her as well. "I was sick a lot when I was little. Caught almost everything there was to catch. I read alot then. The habit stuck."

Glancing in, Seien's jaw dropped in astonishment. The view was amazing. The two large windows showed a small valley, coated with the tops' of trees, decked out in reds, yellows, oranges and browns. Best of all, right next to the window was huge tree with thick branches.

Kurama had snuck up behind Seien and she nearly jumped out of her skin when he put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Guess you picked."

She twisted around and walked back to the door, "Yeah, it's got a kick ass view."

_Ugh… _Seien shuddered inwardly, _Kurama's nice, but he makes me so nervous. He's too polite. Bet he's a pervert or pedophile or something. EW._

Back out on the landing Hiei and Kurama were moving her stuff in. Seien attempted to help, but her suitcase was snatched out of her hands by Hiei. As he was taking the box out her hands his voice flashed into her head, _Pedophile, eh?_

"Hmph," Seien said, _If he's a pedophile you know what that makes you? A psychopathic homicidal maniac, that's what._

She snatched her suitcase back and stomped into her room. Kurama walked back out, leaving the last box inside. He looked from Ron to Hiei.

Seien slammed her door and Hiei told her, _You didn't give me a chance to guess._

---------

Seien sat on the unmade bed inside her new, locked room. Boxes sat on the pinkish red carpet. She got up and began to unpack.

For the next couple hours or so Seien put all of her stuff away, chucking empty boxes out into the hallway. Books overflowed on the single bookcase, clothes and shoes were crammed into the dresser and walk-in closet, and her bed made up in purple and red sheets and pillows (which of course just happened to match the carpet and the ruby wallpaper).

There was a small stack of notebooks on the black wooden desk that she wouldn't get to use. However, the small bucket of shampoo, body wash and other shower goodies were still useful. She still had to share a bathroom with two other people (Hiei and Yukina).

Seien flopped onto the inexpertly made bed.

Then, of course, a knock interrupted her rest which she answered, "Okay, I'm coming, but there better be a damn good reason for making me get up."

She rolled off the bed and landed with a _thunk_ on the floor, forgetting how sore she was. Groaning, she got up and unlocked the door which had about six separate ways to lock it other than the lock on the knob. Seien had no idea why (there were so many locks).

Kurama opened the door, as usual smiling, a rather annoying, cheery smile, "Sorry to interrupt, but dinner's ready!"

"THAT," Seien said, cheering up, "is an entirely different story."

She head towards the stairs, skipping a little, but Kurama caught her arm. She looked at him, "What?"

"There's something I should warn you about."

_PEDOPHILE!_ Seien thought as he drug her back into her room.


	5. Pizza, yum!

Seien sat back down on her bed, the only thing going threw her mind was, of course, her weird fear that Kurama was a pedophile and that this "talking" they were doing wasn't exactly going to be a nice little chat.

Kurama took a seat on her desk chair, turning it to face her, and the window. For a minute, he said nothing. He gazed past her face into the distance threw the window, focusing on a small black blur.

Closing his eyes, Kurama took a deep breathe (which made Seien nervous as god knows what). He concentrated on a mind barrier he was making until he no longer sensed the auras of anyone in the house.

Seien sat forward, "What was that? Did you feel it? It was like someone died. Several people."

"Don't worry, it's just a barrier so nobody can overhear, or rather, over think." Kurama sighed, "I don't want Hiei to read either of our minds and know what we're talking about. So, don't let him into your thoughts afterwards, okay?"

"Depends on what we're discussing, youkai." Seien responded indignantly.

"We're talking about Hiei. Actually, I'm warning you about Hiei."

"What about? That he's psychotic and extremely violent? I know that. In fact, I think he needs some meds. Or therapy."

"Well, that's sort of it. Hiei has been threw a lot that makes him a lot less open to anything new. He can't deal with emotions very well. And well, that leads up to how he feels about you. He knows how to treat me, and Yusuke and everyone, but I don't think he's ever had a crush on anyone before and…"

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Seien screeched, jumping off the bed, "Are you kidding me? He drug me around in the woods BY MY FOOT cuz he LIKES ME? That right there is psychopathic!"

"He doesn't know how to react to it! That's all, Seien!" Kurama tried to calm her down, and pushed her gently back down (PEDOPHILE!). "I just need you to know! I thought I'd warn you because I don't know what he's going do about it."

"Oh! And what am I supposed to do about it, huh?"

"I don't know. I wanted to tell you. I think it will help Hiei, especially if he gets a positive reaction from you. I just wanted you to be able to help me ease him through this. Sooner or later he's going to ask me to make a potion for him to make this go away. I can make one that will let him know what he's feeling."

"I am not," Seien butted in, blushing madly, "going to pretend I like him, so he can get over some problem of his."

She stood up and pushed past Kurama, ending the conversation in favor of some pizza.

Kurama watched the door for a while, and then he glanced at the window. Sure enough a small flicker of black shot off in the distance. _OI. Hiei's going to be bothering me at dinner to no end to find out what we were talking about._

---------

Genkai's kitchen table was one of those low traditional Japanese-style tables, surrounded by big squishy cushions. What wasn't traditional were the ten boxes of pizza stacked all over it.

Genkai and Yusuke were sitting at the heads of the table, Boton, Yukina and Kuwabara on one side and on the other was Hiei (closest to Genkai) and two empty cushions.

Seien sat down on the cushion farthest from Hiei. They both looked at each other and glared when Kurama walked into the room. Then, they turned and glared at him. Everyone else looked back and forth to each other, obviously curious and a bit disturbed. Boton visibly shrunk into her chair, the glares made the room just that awkward.

Seien broke the trio of doom by putting on a very scary determined smile and introduced herself to Boton and Yukina. "Howdy! I haven't seen you two before, so you're either: Keiko, Yukina or Boton. I dunno whose missing. I'm Seien and still not entirely sure why I'm here!"

Yukina and Boton giggled (Boton's was quite nervous). But, it was Yukina that spoke first, "Hello, Seien, I'm Yukina. It's nice to meet you."

In her obnoxious voice, Boton (made more obnoxious with fear) also greeted Seien, "Hello there! I'm Boton! I don't live here like Yukina, but I work for Koenma, so I'll be seeing a lot of you! Keiko's not here, but you'll meet her later. She had to eat dinner with her family."

Kurama hesitantly sat down on the cushion between two people that wanted nothing more than to stab him. He was smiling as nervously as Boton. Hiei hadn't stopped glaring.

"Well, let's get to it." Genkai said, snatching a box of sausage and mushroom pizza for herself. It started frenzy. Yusuke and Kuwabara shoveled food into there mouths faster than a human eye could follow. Everyone else however seemed content sharing the two boxes that the buffoons hadn't drooled on; one cheese, one pepperoni.

Unfortunately, dinner was taking a turn for the worst. Seien and Hiei happened to reach for the same slice of pepperoni. Minutes of pure glaring ensued.

"Let go psychopath." Seien demanded. Hiei didn't comply, but answered her _Tell me what you and the fox were talking about in your room then._

_The fox?_ Asked Seien. _You mean Kurama? I'm sorry, but it was too traumatic to for me to handle telling some one right now. You can take that up with him. NOW HAND OVER THE PIZZA._

Hiei didn't let go of the pizza. _KURAMA, explain yourself now._

Kurama took a bite of his pizza. _If I had wanted you to hear, you would have._

Seien overheard this as well and shouted, "JUST FUCKING TELL HIM, BASTARD!"

Hiei let go of the pizza. Ron smacked it into Kurama's face. She leapt up grabbed the box of pepperoni and sprinted up to her room. When Kurama peeled the slice off his face, both Hiei and Ron were gone and he was left to explain the absurd event.

Yusuke asked first, "What just happened?"

Kurama wiped the last bit of sauce off his face and told them, "You'll all know soon enough."

---------

In her room, Seien was munching on her second slice of pizza when an odd breeze whooshed by. She turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin. Hiei was climbing in her window.

She flung a pillow at him which he almost didn't catch. But he did. And it pissed Seien off. She began flinging them as fast as she could. Hiei shut the window, walked right up to her and still dodged them all.

He pushed her down on the floor and gave her a disgusted look. "I'm only here to get back the pizza."

"Oh…" muttered Seien. She was disappointed. _They probably asked him to get it back…_

"Don't worry," he said, "I'll find out what the fox told you soon enough."

He went out through her door which Seien jumped up off the floor to close. "Damn Kurama to hell."


	6. Seizure!

It was cold and Seien was shivering, still half asleep. Her brow scrunched together in confusion. Beneath her was cold and hard and rough. Her blanket was gone. Sitting up, Seien shivered again and opened her eyes which immediately got wider.

She was sitting on the roof in her red checkered boxers and an Alice in Chains (that's a band for those who don't know!) t-shirt, looking at the top of the tree next to her window. She looked around in horror; positive this had to be a dream.

For once Seien wasn't having a premonition. Hiei was standing a few feet behind her, watching her reaction.

Seien crab walked backwards slowly. The only part of Hiei that moved was his eyes as he followed her path backwards. She stopped when her hurt wrist (which made crawling like this difficult and painful) just brushed his leg. Her face snapped up in his direction. Seien scowled, "_YOU._"

Hiei crouched over her; their noses a scant millimeter from touching. He ruffled through her unprotected memories; an unremarkable childhood, full of family vacations, sleepovers with friends, boring classes at school….. Her father's death.

Seien couldn't throw him out. Nobody had ever had the power to look into her mind the way she could do to others. She began to cry and slumped down against the roof. She didn't want to relive this. Hiei stopped and looked into her eyes briefly.

Hiei scooped her up and swiftly took her back to her room. He sat down on her bed. The blanket had been thrown on the floor. Seien was still in his arms. They sat for a long while until she fell back asleep.

He laid the blanket back on top of her.

---------

Seien woke up with a faint pink glow coming through her window. Kurama was hovering over her; caught with his arms ready to shake her awake. It was an awkward situation.

Seien screamed, jumped up, and smacked Kurama sharply across the cheek. Yukina, Genkai, and Yusuke clamored into her room to see what was going on. Genkai asked, "What's the hell's going on?"

Seien pointed accusingly, "I woke up and he was…. TOUCHING ME!"

Genkai gave Kurama a weird look. He said, "I was going to shake her awake, but she woke up before I got the chance."

"Yeah, the chance to RAPE me!"

Yusuke snickered. Genkai sighed, "Well, we'll have to get you an alarm clock then. Now, hurry up, you're going to start training today."

Genkai stood at the door while everyone filed out. She closed it rather loudly. Seien skipped over to make sure it was locked.

---------

A little less than a half an hour later, Seien, her hair braided into two pigtails, wandered into the living room. She was dressed in black track shorts, black sneakers with gray polka dots, and two tank-tops, one was light blue and the other: light green.

While she dressed Seien remembered vaguely what had occurred last night. It didn't seem real. She remembered Hiei carrying her. And being cold... her dad. Seien shuddered and decided it was a dream.

Yukina walked out of the kitchen and pointed at her wrist. "I'm supposed to fix that up for you before you get started today."

Seien sat on the sofa while Yukina unraveled the bandage. A blue glow lit her fingers as she moved them gently back and forth over the sprain. The swelling slowly went down and Seien could move her wrist easily and without pain once more.

"Thank you, er, Yukina, right?"

"Yup," she smiled, "That's me. I'll see you in a few hours for lunch. I think I'm gonna make pasta."

"Cool, seeya."

Seien walked into the kitchen and out the backdoor. Yukina called after her, "They're in the clearing in the woods. There's a path. Good luck!"

"Thanks," Seien waved and started down the path.

---------

It was a short walk to the clearing. Kurama, Yusuke, Genkai and Hiei all stood facing her when she arrived. Seien stopped, not sure what to do now.

"Alright," Genkai said, "Here's the deal. Sunrise you get up and meet me here an hour later. I'm going to teach you to harness some of that energy you have. Then, you get lunch. After that Kurama going to teach you the basics of swordplay. After that Hiei's going to teach you some defense. When he decides you're done you can come back and get dinner."

Kurama took a seat at the edge of the clearing while Hiei appeared in a tree nearby. Genkai looked at her, "Let's see what you've got. Sit down and close your eyes."

Seien obeyed.

"Now, hold out your right hand and concentrate. Imagine a small orb of energy in it."

Seien felt like the biggest dweeb, sitting in the middle of the woods with her hand stuck out in front of her, waiting to do something that obviously wasn't going to happen. Not to mention she had an audience….

She expected her hand to feel different, warm or tingly or something. It just felt like it was falling asleep.

"This is stupid," she said after what seemed like hours.

Genkai was sitting in front of her. "Nobody told you to speak. Keep going. And CONCENTRATE!"

_Whoa, since when does she know I'm day dreaming? _Seien hadn't really been concentrating. Well, she had been on her audience. She was positive Kurama was getting a real good laugh out of this.

And then there was Hiei. Seien remembered to put up a barrier on her mind, so he wouldn't catch her in private thoughts. _Crazed little sucker. If he wasn't insane, he could be ok._

Her mind wandered even father before Genkai snapped it back _He's certainly hot enough to make up for being a psycho…_

"Seien!" Genkai snapped.

"Wha?"

"You're letting you're mind wander. This is about meditation. You're only going to be able to summon any power you might have if you learn to concentrate."

Seien claimed, "I was too concentrating!"

"Not on an energy orb!" snapped Genkai.

"Well," said Seien, "I'm sorry I've got a few things distracting me at the moment. And meditating was never really my cup of tea."

"You're going to have to suck it up, missy. Kurama, it's you're turn."

Genkai disappeared into the trees towards the house. Kurama stood up and tossed a plain, black handled sword at her feet.

He started straight into swordplay, "Alright, let's see what you know. Ever take any self-defense class?"

"I'm a green belt in jiujitsu." Seien said.

Kurama shrugged, "Then you know the basics. I suppose it'd better than nothing. Pick up the sword and we'll start with fighting stances and a few basic strikes."

Seien looked at the sword lying in the ground. "Genkai said I got lunch first."

"She left early, it's not even noon yet. Tomorrow your lesson with her will be longer. So, we'll begin now and take a break."

---------

Lunch and lessons with Kurama were fairly uneventful. The food was delicious and Seien thought Kurama was getting closer than he had to when he "adjusted her stance. Seien whined about that until Kurama wouldn't get closer than a foot to her.

Kurama left around three. He was fed up with her for the day. Hiei had watched all the lessons from his tree; snickering at Kurama's pedophile-ness.

He leapt down and scooped up Seien's sword which she had flung aside in her victory dance at Kurama's departure. He placed it in her hands.

The moment occurred in slow motion. There was a light brush of his finger tips in the palm of her hand. A deep tha-thunk of her heart and a jolt passed through her.

With that jolt Seien's eyes clouded over and she saw a brief series of images, a t-shirt flung over her desk chair, her window open, and a dark figure lying next to her in bed.

Seien collapsed on the ground, her premonition ending. She jerked herself up, embarrassed. The images made no sense and she had made a fool of herself.

Hiei still stood over her, holding her sword. He held out his hand to help her up. When she reached out he grabbed her roughly by the wrist and pulled her forward. Seien staggered up, nearly tripping forward into him.

Her cheeks were a vicious cherry-red and she was ready to run, or cry or something. Her mind was on fire with embarrassment and she couldn't think of a joke to turn it into. All she could think was _since when do I get so embarrassed?_

Then, a question popped into her head from Hiei:

_Did you just have a seizure or what?_


	7. Flying Rocks

Note: Sorry! I'm really against annoying author's notes, but this must be said. I really don't think of Kurama as a pedophile. Seien just has MISPLACED suspicions! Sorry if that wasn't clear!

---------

"NO I DID NOT JUST HAVE A SEIZURE! ALL I DID WAS FALL!" Seien was slightly offended at that remark and still incredibly embarrassed. She was now gesturing, in a fairly wild manner, with her hands and her voice was steadily growing louder. To Hiei, she seemed at the point of hysterics. "SO, WHAT? DID I JUST BLANK OUT FOR A WHILE AND I'M NOT REMEMBERING MYSELF LYING ON THE GROUND TWITCHING VIOLENTLY! BECAUSE THAT'S A SEIZURE! ALL I DID WAS FALL! SO, I HAD ANOTHER PREMONITION? WHAT'S IT MATTER THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS! IT'S ALL GOING TO BE TRUE EVENTUALLY!"

Hiei clamped a hand over her mouth and looked right into her eyes (they're pretty much the same height). "Shut up. I wasn't being serious. I just wanted to know what happened. And what's this about premonitions?"

"Oh, I normally get them in my sleep and every once in a while when I touch another person I can see things in their future. Sometimes they make sense, but most of the time it's very random and unimportant."

"What did you see?"

Seien opened her mouth to speak, but only a squeak came out. She pictured the dark figure at her side, breathing gently. Her eyes got a tad bit wider and she claimed, "Eh, it didn't make any sense."

"I see."

Seien broke eye contact and looked down. Her chest got tight and her back straightened almost instantaneously with nerves. She hadn't realized how close he was. His arm was across her back holding her waist rather tightly. And his other hand that he had held her mouth shut with was on her shoulder. His arm felt warm and strong.

Eyes wide again, Seien tried to step back, mumbling, "Uh…"

He let her go and didn't look at her when he asked, "As long as you're well enough to train."

"Yeah," she muttered and picked up her discarded sword. Seien looked around, having reclaimed her sword. Hiei was no wear to be seen. _Hiei?_

He didn't answer. But, more or less, flew out of the trees and kicked Seien in the back. _Don't let you're guard down._

He was gone when Seien stood up again. This time though Seien tried to find his aura. She turned around in time to catch his katana (I'm tired of calling them swords…) from slicing her. She wasn't strong enough to push him off, but when he nearly pushed her to the ground she rolled out of the way, got up and yet again Hiei disappeared.

This continued for a while. Alternating between catching blows and being caught with Hiei's tricks. The training ended with one last attack from Hiei, diving straight on top of her. Seien was smart enough to side-step it.

When Hiei didn't run away again she attempted an attack. Hiei let out an amused snort at the thought. He grabbed the katana out of her hands in the middle of her swing and told her, "We're done for the day."

Without the katana there to stop her Seien flew he'd first, straight into Hiei's chest with a loud umph. Her face smacked square into his abs. He lifted her up with one hand and set her back on her feet.

"Ok, sorry about that." Seien said. Hiei took her sword and put it in its sheath lying on the ground at the edge of the trees. He handed it to her. Taking the sword, Seien started to walk towards the path through the woods. Hiei walked slowly behind her.

Neither of them said a word on the walk back. They were both deep in thought about, well, each other!

_Ah, that was so embarrassing! Why did end up touching him so much! It was so weird. He was so... gentle. And goddamn. He's got, like ROCK HARD muscles in that chest of his. Not to mention his arms... ACK! What am I thinking? I'll prove that damn Kurama wrong. Ridiculous... I am NOT gonna think about this anymore!_

Behind Seien, Hiei watched her arms swing slowly back and forth with her steps and her pigtails swish across her back. _She's smarter than I expected. Much quicker. This isn't as bad as I had thought. She'll never land a decent blow on anyone, she's too scrawny. She's fast though. Good thing we're here to protect her. She needs it. Maybe Genkai can teach her something with those powers... and that premonition... What did she see? Was it me? Why didn't she say...?_

---------

Dinner was very quiet compared to the day before. Seien ate in silence. So did Hiei. Kurama, Genkai, Boton and Yukina chatted softly.

Yukina noticed Seien's slight flinching when she moved her fork around in her hand. Her small, soft hands were streaked with blisters that sprung up on the walk. Tomorrow's training would have been torture if Yukina hadn't asked, "Seien, would you like me to heal those up? I can't put them back to normal, but I can make them into calluses faster. Then, tomorrow you won't get so many!"

Seien and Yukina smiled at each other. "That would be great! Thanks, Yukina. I'll help you with some of these dishes and you can do it right after."

Giggling, Yukina said, "Don't be silly. You're in pain now. Give your hands here."

Putting down her fork, Seien stretched her hands out across the table. All in all there were twenty or so large welts that ran up and down her palms and fingers. Yukina's hands were glowing icy blue again. She let them hover above Seien's hands. In a few seconds what would've taken a week to heal was healed.

Taking her hands back, Seien looked at them. They were scarred with thicker, more leathery skin. Seien's soft princess hands had been replaced with fighter's hands. Ironic, considering she was now a princess.

---------

A week went by. Seien was doing quite well in her training. She was becoming a fairly good swordswoman.

She still had suspicions about Kurama. And it didn't help he sat in at one of Seien's lessons with Hiei. It was embarrassing how close Hiei got to her. And Seien swore that Kurama saw every time she fell down and Hiei helped her up. She thought he was snickering at her.

Genkai didn't have many breakthroughs; only a single time when Seien managed to create a glowing speck. That was yesterday.

"CONSITRATE DAMN IT! YOU MIGHT'VE GOTTEN SOMEWHERE YESTERDAY IF YOUR STOMACH HADN'T GRUMBLED!" Genkai seems to truly enjoy shouting at Seien.

But, Seien was concentrating, just, as usual, not on the lesson. There was a rock that fit perfectly in her fist that Seien desperately wanted to chuck at her teacher. She could picture it sailing gracefully through the air and landing with a satisfying _thunk_ on the back of Genkai's head.

_THUNK._ Seien opened her eyes to find Genkai cursing and rubbing the back of her head. Glancing down, Seien saw that the rock wasn't there. It was lying behind Genkai.

Seien realized something. _DUDE! I've got psychic powers! As if I didn't know that! Haha!_

Now she was really excited by this discovery. Seien leapt up and looked around. "Genkai look!"

At the edge of the clearing a small branch was floating towards them. It came straight up to Seien and fell into her outstretched hand.

Before Genkai had a second to comment, Boton came swooping down on her oar into the clearing. Seien jumped back from the incoming fairy-girl, never having witnessed this before.

Boton slid off the hovering oar and landed in the dust, getting her pink kimono dirty. She announced in her dreadfully annoyingly, cheerful voice, "Guess what! Seien's going to get to visit her new kingdom tomorrow! Isn't that exciting?"


	8. Undies

Seien leaned on the kitchen counter next to Yukina, munching away on a turkey sandwich while Genkai roared at Boton.

"SHE'S NOT READY! SHE'S BARELY HAD ANY TRAINING! HOW DOES KOENMA EXPECT HER TO BEHAVE HERSELF? SHE DOESN'T HAVE MANNERS FIT FOR ROYALTY! NOT TO MENTION SHE CAN'T DEFEND HERSELF!"

Boton was all but cowering in the far corner of the kitchen, desperately trying to explain Koenma's reasoning, "Well, Koenma thought it would be an opportune time to go visit Kumori because the old King there has been writing a will out. He's planning on leaving Kumori to his eldest son, Yuki. Since Seien's father died he believes there's no threat to his family's throne. Koenma wants us to go fix that."

"Wait," interrupted Seien, "I thought I didn't have a choice in this! You all were just like, well, you're a princess, here ya go! Well! I really don't want to be! And what reason's does Spirit World have for trying to get me to be one? Eh?"

Genkai loomed over her, suddenly standing on the counter. Seien looked daggers at her because her shoe was grinding Seien's other half of her turkey sandwich into the counter. "You will be the next Queen of Kumori. Spirit World and Demon World don't get along, to say the least. If you are the next Queen then there's going to be a connection. There will always be war between the worlds, but a connection like this will prevent disasters. Understand? This isn't about you wanting to."

"You're standing on my sandwich."

Genkai sighed and leapt off the table.

"Kurama and Hiei will go with her. Maybe they can smack some manners into her while they're there." she told Boton and then turned around and announced to Seien, "You'll leave at ten tomorrow. Wear something nice."

After that Seien sulked up to her room, glad that she got out of training, but angry about this whole visiting her kingdom thing. She was lying flopped on her bed, when there was a tap at her door. Yukina mumbled hello behind it before opening it.

Keiko followed close behind her. "We thought maybe we could help you pick out something to wear for tomorrow!"

"Oh," Seien said into her pillow, "I hadn't even thought of that. Thanks."

With that last word Yukina and Keiko bolted into her room and towards the dresser. Among piles of jeans, the unearthed three skirts, a short jean skirt, a long red and black tie-dyed hippie skirt and a knee length, silk, green one. And then they voted, the green one it was.

Seien was prepared to argue with this. "How am I supposed to look intimidating in a skirt?! They'll laugh at me!"

"But it'll look so pretty with your hair! And you're supposed to dress up!" Keiko said. "I know! you can wear it to dinner."

"Gah, but that's really not going to prove anything!" Seien responded. But, Keiko really didn't seem to be listening. She was ruffling through Seien's shirts now and chose a cream colored top with a sweet heart neck-line. Keiko held it up towards Yukina, "What do you think?"

Yukina nodded in agreement and chuckled, "It's lovely. Just convince Seien. I have to go start dinner though. Good luck!"

As Yukina left, Keiko approached Seien with a slightly crazed look. Seien backed up until she was pressed against the window, which was unfortunately too high to jump out of. After several minutes of chasing, threatening and wrestling, Keiko had gotten Seien into the outfit. And she didn't look half bad.

Before Seien could rip the clothes off and change back into jeans, Keiko had her pushed out the door. Seien lay flat on the floor, face down and resolved to stay there 'til the morning. _I'm not going to move. They can drag me to Kumori._

While she was silently protesting, Seien heard a strangled sort of choking noise coming from towards the stairs. She twisted her head to the side and saw Hiei staring at her. More specifically, she saw by following his gaze, at her butt. Horrified, Seien flipped her skirt back over her butt and looked away. She felt her face turn red. _SHIT SHIT SHIT. My face! GAH! It must be so red right now. Red like his eyes...GAH! _At that thought she tried to just NOT think at all.

A second or so later she felt a nudge at her side. She turned her head to the side again and looked up. Hiei stood above her. His eyes were now calmer, but his face was slightly flushed from the sudden shock at seeing her black lacy undies. _I...I came to tell you dinner's ready. I was NOT expecting that. I..._ He turned around and started down the stairs and Seien wasn't sure if she imagined his _sorry_ at the end there.

Forgetting her decision to stay on the floor for the rest of the night, Seien stood up and followed Hiei down the stairs. She hurdled down the last four steps and watched her skirt puff out around her. _That was pretty...DEAR LORD. I hope nobody saw anything that time!_

_Just me again, _she felt Hiei's voice thrum in her mind with laughter. _Now, get in here so we can all eat._

They ate rather traditionally that night; shrimp and sushi and rice and soup. Seien decided it was much better than pizza. Keiko, who joined them all moments after Seien, managed to get every single person at the table to tell Seien that she looked nice without asking it as a direct question. She even got Genkai to make Seien's outfit a mandatory thing for tomorrow.

Seien sighed. "I guess it's an even trade off, wear a skirt, get no training."

---------

The next morning, Seien was rudely awakened by Boton, before sunrise. Seien decided she really didn't like Boton, who had giggled at her with excitement, saying, "Well, we have to get an early start!"

Seien really didn't think that was necessary, considering they were simply going to teleport there. Boton created a huge shining black oval when she had succeeded in waking Kurama, Hiei and Seien. There was now a gaping hole in which to travel to Demon World in; and it sat there, in a seemingly normal living room as well. Seien thought it was a bit odd.

They didn't even have to walk anywhere once they got to the other side either. The three of them were standing at the entrance of the Royal Palace of Kumori.

The Kingdom of Kumori is relatively small for a kingdom of Demon World. The main city (aptly named Kumori City) sits at the edge of a cliff, off of which a water fall drains into a lake. The cliff that the city rests on is the starting point of the Yuuan Mountain Range. These mountains, in there entirety is the Kingdom of Kumori.

And at this moment in time, Seien is completely overwhelmed by the ungodly huge snow peaked mountains peering over the walls of the city.

_Ready or not, here we go..._thought Seien. And then, she thought she heard a chuckled coming from Hiei and reminded herself never to think another thought.


	9. Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

"I guess we don't knock?" Seien asked, as Hiei and Kurama pushed open the paper front door. The huge flat-ish building was white with a bronze looking roof. The trimmings on the doors were also this dull looking gold.

There were no guards to inhibit their entrance. There weren't any that Seien could see when she stepped inside, either. So, she asked why.

"The guards here don't hang around by the front door. They can sense when anybody enters and if they're enough of a threat to need force. Anybody who wishes can can see the Palace as long as they won't cause trouble. The guards are trained to know." replied Kurama, "Sure enough here come a few."

Three guards came whipping around a corner about halfway down the main hall. The first one to see them pointed at them, "Halt! Don't take one more step."

As they approach Kurama told them, clapping a hand on Seien shoulder and pushing her forward, "We're here to see the King and to discuss the rightful heir to this throne, her."

The guards looked at him like he was insane. Seien smacked Kurama's hand away. She didn't want him touching her. The first guard spoke again, "I'm afraid the King passed away this morning from his diminishing health. His son should rightfully be heir!"

Hiei scowled up at them. "We aren't here to argue with you; those that have no say in this matter are not important. We must see the King's son. NOW."

"Sir, he is in mourning for his father."

"NOW."

"Um," started the first one, "That will be for him to decide. Sakka, tell Prince Yuki of these...visitors."

---------

Ten minutes later, the guard Sakka came dashing back down the hall. _Good thing he's back_, thought Seien, who was extra careful and had put up a mind barrier, _I think Hiei was going to stab that one guy..._

Hiei and Guard #1 had been staring each other down the whole time. Hiei didn't take well to being snubbed and the guard obviously did not appreciate Hiei's snobby attitude.

Sakka bowed and said, "Prince Yuki will see you all in his father's study. I am to take you there."

Seien couldn't help but stare as they followed Sakka down the twisting halls of the Royal Palace. They were decorated with hundreds of tapestries, paintings and skins of animals and beasts that Seien didn't know the name of. She also couldn't imagine living there. _I'd be alone, _she realized, _Mom and Eki would be back in the human world. I wouldn't even see Yukina, or Kurama or Genkai, or Hiei... or anybody that I stay with now..._

_Don't be stupid,_ came that voice, Hiei, into her mind again, _Doubtless Kurama and Yusuke and I would be your bodyguards still. And Boton would always be flying messages from Koenma back and forth to you. And try to remember to keep your thoughts to yourself._

Seien blushed at forgetting to keep her mind away from others. _Most people aren't naturals at eavesdropping._

_Most people don't scream their thoughts that loudly and openly,_ came the response.

Seien suck out her tongue at him. Hiei ignored this.

The guards slid open the door and bowed as they walked in. Seien watched the door slide shut behind them. Inside the room was a low traditional table surrounded by cushions. The table was bare and for a second it seemed the room was empty too.

If his clothes hadn't rustled as he moved towards them, Seien would have never known he was there. Prince Yuki bowed slightly to them.

Kurama bowed back, but Hiei merely nodded at him. Seien ended up somewhere between the two, and made up a sort of shrug at him.

Prince Yuki gestured at the cushions for them to sit down, giving Seien a sideways smile. Kurama took a seat and Prince Yuki sat opposite him. Seien sat next to Kurama. Hiei stood behind her and grunted when Yuki said, "No seat for you, then?"

Yuki sat patiently listening as Kurama told the tale of how his father lost him the kingdom. He didn't look like he was paying much attention, but rather he watched Seien's reaction to everything.

She glazed eyes over to show no emotion, but meanwhile sized up this Prince Yuki. Careful to keep these thoughts to herself, she thought, _Well, he's definitely not bad looking, but..._

Seien was snapped out of her trance when he spoke. "There are many doubts as to if I should rightfully have my father's throne. They will all be put to rest this Midwinter. I am holding a tournament that will be open to all that my father 'lost' his throne to. I will compete as well. And you, Veronica, may as well."

Yuki looked to Seien for a reaction to this. Kurama interrupted, "Seien is not prepared to fight in such a tournament!"

"Very well, are you electing to be her champion?"

Hiei chose this moment to emerge from the depths of silence, "No, Kurama isn't, but I am. If, of course that would be acceptable to you?"

There were sardonic notes to Hiei's voice as he addressed the prince. Yuki chuckled, "By all means, you may take her place. I can understand that a lover would want to fight on behalf of his beloved."

Yuki sneered down at Hiei, who was quite taken aback by these words. Hiei flexed his hand near his sword, but refrained from taking it. Instead he muttered, "I'm not her lover. I'm just considerably more able to fight than she is."

"Oh, well," Yuki sneered, seeing how uncomfortable he had made Hiei. He guessed at Hiei's attraction to Seien. "I have an idea. Veronica is the only female heir to the throne, and her father was the first, I believe, to have won Kumori. Wouldn't it be fitting if we were to marry and take it together? If that is I win the tournament."

"What!?" blurted Seien, "I'm not a prize!"

"Of course not, darling." Yuki continued, now standing, "If you win you'll be the next King of Kumori. And I won't hold her off as some prize to everyone. I just think it might be a bit more interesting for us two. I understand if you're a bit worried however, short stuff. There's always that chance you might not win.."

"Whatever, those terms are fine." Hiei's eyes burned into him with utter hate and disgust. Yuki's gray eyes sparkled at his fury.

"WHAT!?" Screamed Seien, "YOU FUCKERS, HOW CAN YOU DO THIS?! THIS CAN'T BE LEGAL! KURAMA, STOP THEM!!!!!! SMACK THEM! DO SOMETHI-"

Seien words were cut off as Yuki walked around the table and in one fluid motion kissed her. "Until Midwinter, Princess."

He swooped out of the room leaving Seien and Hiei both fuming. Seien was making a curious, angry squealing sound and made strangling gestures in the air. Then, she let it all out in one long, hideous scream. Hiei simply stood there, his face warped with abhorrence.

"I think it's time to go home." Kurama said.

---------

Back at Genkai's it was already time for dinner. Seien hadn't realized that time gets warped between the worlds. _It's Friday! _Seien realized, _AND I HAVEN'T BEEN HOME TO SEE MOM!! OH MY GOD! I'LL HAVE TO GO TOMORROW!!!_

While they were eating Seien asked Genkai if she would be able to visit her mom tomorrow. Genkai said yes, but only if she took one of the guys with her. Seien hadn't seen either Yusuke or Kuwabara since they kidnapped her and ate dinner that first day. And she did remember Yusuke disappearing that first day of training too.

"They've been at school. Theirs started up this week, while Kurama's will in a week or so. After that, he'll only be giving you lessons on the weekends. Yusuke should be joining us for those." Genkai replied when Seien asked about them.

"Oh, alright." Seien said, "I'm going to sleep then. Do you want to come with me tomorrow, Hiei? I'd rather be in a car with you for two hours rather than Kurama. He might try to touch me..."

Hiei snorted. "Whatever you say, princess."

---------

Seien lay, trying to sleep in her bed, but she was perturbed by the way things went at the Royal Palace that day. _Prince Yuki is charming... And really clever. I wonder how he knew that Hiei has a thing for me... I still don't know why that is either. Why Hiei likes me... I wonder if Kurama talked to him about it. Ugh... I can't believe they made that bet on ME. I can't believe Hiei TOOK IT TOO. Ahugh..._

Seien suddenly sat straight up in bed; she heard her window screeching open. And a familiar, short figure stepped in. Before she had a chance to say a word, she was pushed back down on her bed.

"I will win that tournament, princess. You will be mine" Hiei whispered in her ear. Then, Seien was pressed farther into the bed when Hiei's lips pushed hard into her own and bit them gently.


	10. The Potion

Seien woke up late the next morning. She was slightly flabbergasted at what Hiei had done last night. _AND I'm going to have to spend the car ride there and back with him. WHAT AM I GONNA TELL MY MOM!? Oh god... she'll think he's my boyfriend. Maybe he'll wait in the car...?_

Seien got up and opened the door of her room, voices were drifting up the stairs; everyone seemed to be awake already. And they were, Seien was able to get into the bathroom unopposed and take a shower.

After getting dressed she mumbled "Let's go." in Hiei's direction when she got downstairs. She didn't pause and stalked right to the door, and then out it. Her car was still parked out front.

Seien continued her slow, sulky walk right into the car. Hiei was waiting for her below. As they got into the car, Seien decided she was going to have a nice yell at Hiei for everything.

Everything being, his decision to take the bet with Yuki and then his OTHER decision to KISS her.

They drove off quietly. Seien locked the doors and proceeded to pull out onto the highway and shout at Hiei. "WHAT. THE. HELL. WERE. YOU. THINKING. TAKING. THAT. BET!?!?!?!?!? HUH!?! IMA PERSON, NOT A PRIZE. AND THEN, TO CONTINUE TO CONFUSE ME, YOU SNEAK INTO-"

_Shut up. _

Seien stopped shouting, waiting for Hiei to explain himself, now that he knew how pissed she was. He didn't.

"Are you going to elaborate??"

"Wasn't planning on it."

"YEAH? Well, I think you need to anyways."

_Prince Yuki is a prick. I'm going to teach him a lesson._

"Did that require you taking that bet with him and then to KISS me?"

Hiei was staring out the window. _ I... don't know. Do you not want me to win the bet then? You would rather have Yuki then? He kissed you like he already won you. If he did then aren't I justified to do the same?_

Seien let him go on, uninterrupted.

_Besides, you, you let your mind be read. Well, more like you force your thoughts out into the world, like most humans, but I thought... there were traces of.. attraction? And I usually kill any woman I feel lust for. It's much more uncomplicated that way. And I can't kill you._

"So this is your solution? Just force yourself on me? Don't ask or anything, if its ok? So that's what you think, is it? LA-DI-DA, I can't kill Miss Princess, so I might as well just fuck her? Right-o, then, Kurama was right. You have no idea about anything whatsoever. Don't come into my room again ok? Or for that matter speak to me. You can wait in the car while I see my mom."

Hiei was still looking out the window. Seien punched the radio buttons blindly, until something came on to blast everything out. For a minture tears welled up in her eyes, but she stared on the windshield until they were dry.

For the rest of the ride, Seien concentrated on driving. And keeping her mind blank.

Hiei watched the reflection in the side mirror of the car. He was angry and his eyes glinted dreadfully in the mirror. Seien's aura was shrunken close to her body, in order to not touch his, or even be near it.

---------

They pulled up to Seien's house. Seien got out, without a glance at Hiei. He stayed put.There wasn't going to be too much of a threat to her when she was in the house. Koenma kept it closely monitored.

Hiei saw Seien push open the door and her mom envelope her into a hug, then the door swung shut.

_She didn't understand. This is lust. if I can't kill her, I must get it out someway. Kurama may have to brew a potion for me, if this is how she acts...but she feels it too...I saw...I heard...she was admiring me, she was embarrassed when I touched her during training... maybe it's because she's human...maybe it she thought it was love, _Hiei thought, a bit disgusted, _demons cannot feel love. She should learn this. _

Hiei sat and waited in the car; it was starting to get dark. The sun was moving lower into the sky. _ Love... she wants something human. Not a demon mate... I still have to win the tournament for her. Yuki will not give her that choice. _

Hiei got out of the car. The sun had set when Seien came out. before she got in, Hiei said, "I will follow you outside the car, and watch over you. I won't subject you to my presence other than at your training."

Hiei took off.

Seien got in the car. Her mom had been so glad to see her. She wanted the full story of Seien's time at college. So Seien lied. Sort of. She made Yukina her roommate, Hiei into the lunatic down the hall, etc,etc. It wasn't that hard to lie. she substituted her training for class, "Yeah, they're sort of hard."

Et cetera, et cetera.

She was relieved Hiei was gone. Seien did not trust guys entirely. High school had not made them worth it; her boyfriends, when she had them, were not good boyfriends. This one cheated, this one only took you out of pity, this one never had time, blah blah blah. She swore them off after a while. She was fine with just her friends.

_I'll have to talk to Kurama when I get back, _thought Seien, _he needs to know I want nothing to do with Hiei._

_---------_

And so it went, when she arrived back at Genkai's Hiei wasn't there. Yukina was in the kitchen and politely asked how it went. Seien responded that it went lovely and asked where Kurama was.

He was in the study, where Yukina said he was. Seien knocked on the door. Kurama opened it and said, "Fancy meeting you here."

Seien stood at the door, declining to go in, and looked past him. Her eyes were watering again. "I do not want you to talk to Hiei about me. EVER. I do not want to help him past his 'feelings.' He seems like he knows all about that without help, so just help him to get rid of them. I want NOTHING to do with him."

Seien left and went up to her room, and then to sleep.

_---------_

Hiei tried to carefully sneak back into his room, but Kurama was waiting for him. He sat serenely on the bed, and asked, "Hiei, what did you do? Seien was nearly in tears when she got back."

_I did nothing. She asked me why I took the bet with Yuki, and I told her the truth._

"Which is, what?"

_That since I couldn't kill her, I would mate with her. But she rejected me. I didn't think she would. When her mind wanders, sometimes I caught glimpses of her admiring me. I thought she would agree to be my mate, but she's human and wants LOVE. So, will you help me? Give me a potion to be rid of this lust._

Kurama sighed, dramatically, trying to get Hiei to think he's given in. Kurama was planning on giving his a different sort of potion. "Alright Hiei, I'll make you a potion, but promise me that after you drink it, you go apologize to Seien. It's not good to have her not speaking to you."

_Fine. When will it be done?_

"I'll have it in the morning."

_---------_

Hiei stayed awake all night and watched Seien, through her window, thinking about how it would be over soon. He was slightly glad she did not have to dye.

He watched her wake up to Yusuke's and Genkai's arguing. She didn't see him as she pulled off her covers and went to her dresser, but he left her to get dressed in privacy.

Hiei returned to his room and waited for Kurama's knock, which came, eventually. He handed it to Hiei, hurriedly, "I don't know if it'll have taken full effect by the time you have to teach Seien, but I want you to apologize then. So, you'll have to see her, ok? I have to go now, I've got to try and teach her soon, myself."

Hiei guzzled down the bottle of emerald potion quickly and tossed the bottle aside. He was tired, and lay down on his bed to take a nap before going to meet Seien.


	11. Cuddle Slave

The small amount of progress Genkai had made with Seien was gone. She yelled at Seien every now and then, as usual. Seien sat paralyzed with her hand out in front of her, not looking at Genkai, but staring at her hand.

Seien stayed like that until noon.

Then she went back to the house and ate a slice of bread.

Then, while Genkai tried to completely concentrate on getting Yusuke to do something, Kurama tried and failed to get Seien to do something. Kurama told himself over and over again that afternoon that Seien would be better when Hiei talked to her.

But, finally Kurama gave up on trying to correct her stance and grip, and told her to do drills swinging at a nearby tree. Boy, did that tree ever get what was coming to it.

It was the tree Hiei sat in during Seien's first lessons. Seien, remembering this, let out a growl and started having at that tree.

Kurama was bewildered. Genkai and Yusuke stopped to watch her too.

_---------_

Finally it was time for Hiei's lesson. Seien held her katana in her hand as Genkai and Kurama and Yusuke left and Hiei appeared.

He did not draw his weapon, but walked towards Seien, who, thinking this was some weird new form of attack, swung at him. He grabbed her wrist and made her drop the sword.

He pinned her to a tree, both his hand pushing on her shoulders. Seien struggled and failed, trying to believe it was still part of training. She scooted her feet up against his chest, so that she was curled in a ball and kicked and stomped and tried to dislodge him.

"Stop that." Hiei said, but she didn't. Seien screamed at him a kicked harder.

Hiei shook her, "I said to STOP. I came here to apologize and tell you not to worry anymore. Kurama gave me a potion to make this stop."

"HA!" Seien screamed at him. "That bastard did no such thing. He gave you a potion, yeah, but it wasn't to stop your feelings. HE TRICKED YOU!"

Seien sort of sang the last part; a taunt.

"It was to give you dreams. About me. He said so, that night in my room. It's to make you realize you LO-OVE me. So have you been having dreams, huh? About me? Telling me how much you love me?

"WELL I REFUSE. I REFUSE TO BE PART OF THIS. I will not be a pawn in Kurama's plan to turn you into normal person. I refuse to stay here and be part of Koenma's plan to have me be princess, or Yuki's plan to have me as his bride or yours, for that matter. I won't be stepped on by you," Seien continued,"Ever since my dad died it seemed like everyone does. All of you stupid guys. Now that the brick house is gone, any old big bad wolf can come and blow everything away. I was finally going to get away from it all, too. And you came and KIDNAPPED ME."

Seien was finally able to break free from Hiei who was quite stunned. She ran into the woods, thinking to go back home.

Hiei watched her, 'til she disappeared into the trees. It was true, he had had a similar dream._ But... she didn't care whether it was love or lust or anything... she just wanted a say in the matter._

Hiei followed her until it was almost dawn. Seien finally collapsed near the side of a road in the new morning sun. He scooped her up, bridal style (of course) and carefully made his way back to the house. When they arrived he took her straight to her room, via the window and locked the door.

Her clothes were dirty and sweaty. Hiei decided to put her in something clean before he lay Seien in her bed. He pulled her shirt off gently, trying not to stare, or, for that matter, even look too much, and replaced it with another, larger one that she could wear as a night gown. Then, he slipped off her shorts and tucked her into bed.

_---------_

Kurama was throughly satisfied to see Hiei sneaking out of Seien's room.

"So?" he said.

Hiei promptly punch his face. "You are a lying, sneaking fox. And your little plan didn't work. Now leave and go to school. I'll deal with you later."

Hiei shoved him aside and went downstairs to get Seien something to eat when she woke up. Then, after not answering anybody's questions about where they had been he marched back up the stair and locked himself in Seien's room.

_---------_

Hiei stayed in Seien's room until she woke up. And unfortunately Hiei was asleep at the time.

In her bed.

Seien made a straggled noise at the sight of her premonition coming true. "Ggghhhhnnnnnngggg."

It made Hiei wake up and proclaim, "Oh shit."

Seien looked back and forth between Hiei and the chair with her shirt draped over it and the wide open window. "You didn't..."

Hiei shook his head, "I was waiting for you to wake up. You were running in the woods and you collapsed. I brought you back. And I had food for you, when you woke up... I just fell asleep. And...what you said last night, I think you're right. If you want me to take you home, or to college, or... where ever, I will. You don't have to be a princess. I'd stay and watch over you until after the tournament, so nobody would hurt you."

Seien laid back down and tugged Hiei's arm so he would too.

_I'm sorry._ Seien said, and snuggled up against Hiei. He was a faint pink color, like the sky outside.

Hiei was laying flat on his back with Seien's arms curled around one of his. He could feel her breathe on his shoulder. "If you don't want to have training today, I think we could say you're sick, but I should go down eventually. Kurama saw me before and by now has probably told everyone we had sex in the woods. And if I was caught in your bed it would confirm it. Even if Kurama said nothing, they'd assume."

Seien giggled. "Nope. You're not going anywhere. You're being punished for being an asshole. You are going to stay here and cuddle with me all day and tomorrow when they ask where we've been we aren't going to say anything except punch Kurama. 'Kay? 'Kay."

Seien snuggled in a bit closer and poked Hiei in the side. "Okay, slave, cuddle me to sleep."

She unraveled her arms and turned away from him. Hiei watched her, then slowly turned and put his arm around her waist.

"Well, that's a start." Seien said, "Now snuggle in closer so we... our bodies.. touch."

Hiei did and Seien giggled, "I've never had to tell someone HOW to cuddle before. I thought it was one of those things you just knew."

Seien was a tinge embarrassed to be given him directions, and then having them followed. Especially, when he got so close, his chest on her back and his hips cradling hers. Seien was blushing too.

"Well, I've never cuddled before." Hiei said and put his cheek in the curve of the back of her neck, so the tip of his nose was up against her shoulder.

"Isn't that uncomfortable?" Seien asked; he was holding his head up off the pillow.

"No, I just wanted to smell you."

Seien giggled again and Hiei put his head back on the pillow.

_---------_

So for the next 24 hours Seien and Hiei spooned and cuddled and blushed each other to sleep. Then, dawn came again and Hiei went back to his own room. Seien went and showered and dressed and went downstairs like nothing had happened.

Genkai came in while she was eating breakfast. "So, missy, are you actually going to join me for training today or are you going to go back to sleep after your toast?"

Seien didn't answer, but strolled out to the path to the clearing and munched on her toast.


	12. Dumbass

So it went. Over the next few months Seien continued training with Genkai and Hiei. Kurama's lessons stopped when he started school and Genkai's lessons were longer; to fill in the time. Her lessons were not any easier despite the fact that Seien had learned to create a decent sized orb of energy and to control it.

Genkai's comment about the orb was that it wouldn't hurt anybody. "It would only succeed in tickling your foe. And if you want to continue making these puny energy orbs go ahead. Maybe your enemy will submit after endless laughter."

Seien resented that, but her lessons with Hiei went fairly well. Seien had learned to hide her mind completely for long amounts of time. Another useful trick she knew was how to hide her aura, which Hiei didn't like. When she did so, anybody who could feel it, or had felt it, would think she had just died. The trick was perfect for being sneaky.

Kurama had stopped hanging around so much. True, he did have school, but the last few times he was there neither Seien nor Hiei spoke to him. But other than that, they gave no clue as to what had happened in the woods. Or in Seien's bed.

Hiei, after a week or so, had started to visit Seien at night, when everybody had gone to sleep. Seien was slightly annoyed at him, at first. She expected him back right away. Hiei was worried she wouldn't like it if he took it upon himself to do so. Every night, he stood at the window and asked, "Can I come in?"

If Seien wasn't asleep she would always say yes. A few times he did catch her asleep and would leave her alone. Each night he came in he would kiss her and hold her until she fell asleep.

Well, until one night when Seien decided she wanted to see his shirt off. It was the end of October, almost halloween, and it wasn't that Seien was getting tired of just kissing him, that night she just really wanted to touch his chest. (Who wouldn't?) So, when Hiei bent down to kiss her, she sat up and beat him to it. It was their first not-so-chaste kiss. Seien poked her tongue inside his mouth, ever so slightly, just enough to meet his.

Hiei, a bit taken a back, had his arms at his side. Seien took this opportunity and broke away quickly. She tugged at his shirt and he help her to pull it off. She was halfway back to going to kiss him, but Hiei stopped her and pulled off her own shirt. The only thing Seien had left on were a pair of blue undies. Well, she did have a bra on, but came off quickly. Hiei had no idea what it was or what it was for, except that it was some sort of trick, like a second shirt. He tried to pull it off the same way, but didn't succeed until Seien undid the latch.

Hiei went back to kissing her, experimenting with his tongue, biting and nibbling on Seien's, and her lips. Hiei's arms were back around her waist. Seien pried one away and told him _this goes here._ She placed it on her breast.

Hiei pushed her back down onto the bed and took charge. He kissed and nibbled her skin, the whole way down her neck and on her shoulders. He continued on to kiss her breasts before stopping.

"We...I can't do this. It's not a safe bet to say we won't get carried away. And I need to win the tournament before we can mate. You aren't rightfully mine to have..." Hiei whispered. He handed Seien her shirt. "I know you'd rather not think of yourself an an object, but demons consider their mates, their possessions. So, it can't come to...that. Not yet."

Seien pulled on her shirt and buried herself into her blanket.

Hiei stood up and kept going, "Besides, don't you want this courtship to last? Once we mate, my feelings for you will be gone. Demons don't mate for life."

Hiei stood and watched Seien for a reply. She was silent and stared at her pillow.

Hiei left.

_---------_

Seien refused to wake up the next morning. She slept 'til the afternoon and snuck out the front door to go visit home. She didn't want anybody to go with her.

She managed to drive off without being seen or sensed. She drove home in peace.

When she got there her mom was helping her brother, Phil, to sew the last bit of his halloween costume. it was an elaborate get-up of some cartoon he liked called Inu-Yasha. He was wearing the long white wig to his costume already. Seien's mom jumped up and squealed with excitement. It had been a few weeks since her last visit.

"You looked tired, Seien." Her mom sad, giving her a hug. Phil hugged the other side of her. It was a Seien sandwich.

"I just had a long night. I was studying, so I could take the day off and come here."

"Well, sit down and talk to me. Tell me everything. Are you staying for dinner?"

Seien did stay for dinner, but left afterwards. She wasn't looking forward to going back and explaining why she left without a body guard. Seien's mom and brother waved good-bye as she walked down the driveway to her car.

She pulled out her keys to get in, but was knocked down and both her wrists were pulled behind her back. Seien started to scream, but was kicked over, so she was looking up at her attacker.

"You." she said. "Get the fuck off me."

Seien shook Hiei's foot off of her stomach.

_What the hell were you thinking. You could have been attacked, or kidnaped._

Seien got in her car. _By YOU again._

She drove off. Or... tried. Hiei was holding the handle of her door, and kept it from moving. He punched in the glass of the window. Seien was horrified. "My...car..."

_You're not going anywhere until you explain what the fuck you were thinking. Are you suicidal?_

_No. I wanted to go home. By myself._

_That's not an explanation. _Hiei put his hand to his forehead. _Nobody even knew you were gone until Yukina went up to bring you some lunch._

"Well, I'll have to apologize to Yukina then, won't I?" Seien tried to drive away again.

_This is because of what I said last night._

"Obviously."

_I was only telling you the truth. _

"Can I go now?"

_Let me in with you._

Seien didn't say anything. But the car didn't pull away when Hiei let go of the door, so he walked around the front of the car and got in. They drove back in silence, until Seien asked Hiei, "Yuki said he wanted me as his bride. I thought demons didn't do that."

_Yuki is a prince. If he were to be king he would need a wife to produce heirs. It's different._

Then, it was silent again.

_---------_

Seien wanted to go up to her room when they got back, but Koenma was waiting for her in the living room. Seien said nothing to him while he yelled at her. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!!?!" Blah, blah, blah. It went on and on for about an hour or so. At the end of his rant, he leaned in close to Seien, pointing his finger at her nose and started to say something. Seien spat at him.

Koenma leapt back in disgust, "What on earth!?"

Seien leapt up as well, and bolted up the stairs.

Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, Genkai, Hiei, Boton and Yukina were all standing around in the living room. They had been watching Koenma yell at her. Everyone but Boton and Yukina had been out searching for her.

Yusuke broke out in a smile as Seien ran up the stair, Kuwabara was laughing too, until Hiei jabbed in the the gut.

Yukina and Boton exchanged worried looks.

Genkai announced, "Alright, if the shows over, I'm going to bed. This is too much for an old lady like me."

She walked halfway up the steps and turned around to look at everyone. "What're you all still standing there for? She's gone. Now scat. I'm sure there are better places for you to stand around, looking stupid than in my living room. So get going!"

So, they did. Koenma was outraged and Boton tried to calm him down. "Sir, I'm sure she's got an explanation to, er, everything that's happened. But, let's go, she's obviously not up to telling anyone right now."

So they left. Yusuke and Kuwabara left too, laughing and recounting the events. Seien was their new hero.

Yukina walked slowly into the kitchen, shaking her head and planning on giving Seien a visit.

Kurama looked at Hiei, "This is your fault isn't it."

_What do you mean by that._

"She ran off because of something you said to her, didn't she?" Kurama asked in a whisper.

_Yes, but I didn't say anything that would've caused that reaction. I just told her the truth._

"Which was what?"

_If I was to win the tournament and mate with her that would be the end of it. All my feelings for her would be gone. That's how demons work. I thought she'd like to know, so she would know what to expect. _

"But... but...but..."

"What?" Hiei snapped.

"You've..." Kurama stuttered, looking for a polite way to say it, "..._done things with her._ That isn't right..."

_You assume too much. I wouldn't let her. I still have to win the tournament first. And I told her what to expect. I thought she didn't care. That she only wanted to be consulted first. To choose for herself. That it wasn't about lust or love. _

"You're a dumb-ass." Kurama stated. "Demons love sometimes. It's not exactly rare, but you wouldn't know, growing up how you did. Most demons run wild and are ruthless. But some live together."

_But demons mate. And not for life._

"It depends."

Yukina came into the room, carrying a tray with two mugs on it. "Kurama, it sounds like you're talking to yourself in here."

Hiei looked at her. "You heard?"

She smiled, "Only Kurama's voice. Not what he was saying. I made hot chocolate. I think It might cheer up Seien a little."

Kurama looked crestfallen at not getting hot chocolate. Yukina carried the tray upstairs.

"I'm going to go." Kurama said. "You need to stop being stupid."


	13. A Bit of Light Reading

Seien was flopped on her bad when Yukina walked in. She set the tray down at the end or Seien's bed and startled her. She had forgotten to lock the door.

"I thought I'd bring you some hot chocolate before you went to sleep." Yukina said, smiling. "You seem kind of down in the dumps. I thought this might help."

Seien sat up. "Are you trying to bribe me with hot chocolate?"

"Only if it'll work."

Ron took a mug off the tray and sipped it. "It might."

They both drank down their cocoa which was warm and delicious. Yukina asked how it was.

Seien shook her head and joked,"Yukina... don't even start with me. You know you're a really great cook. Don't rub it in, I know I can't cook. Come on, be modest for once."

Yukina chuckled. "So, is my bribe working?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Seien sighed, "To give a bit of background to this problem, all my boyfriends in high school were jerks, you know, the use you and lose you type. So, when I went to visit Kumori, Prince Yuki made a bet with Hiei. I'm the prize."

"Oh... goodness..." Yukina's eyes were big.

"Just don't go spreading this around ok? Not to Boton or Keiko or Kurama or anyone. That includes Hiei, don't let him know I told you. Anyways, that night when I got back, Hiei made it obvious he wanted to win that bet. The next day I went to visit my mom and brother, and I told him on the way there that I was furious with him for doing that. Taking the bet and all. So, then later he told me he he knew I was attracted to him. He read my mind. And just assumed I wouldn't care. He apologized. So did I.

"Then there was a whole other fight we had, just recently when he decided to tell me that after he won the tournament, and essentially 'used' me, that it would be over between us. And that demons do not mate for life and crap like that."

Seien fiddled with her mug. Yukina set hers down and hugged her. Seien was taken aback, but returned the hug.

"I can see how that would hurt. Being led on like that. But I suppose it is true, most demon's don't mate for life. They don't get married like humans do."

"Most demons?"

"A few exceptions. Demons will stay together if they think their children will be very powerful and if they want to have a lot of them. To form a pack or something."

"But not for love?"

"Not in the Demon World, no. Well, maybe... I've never heard of it, but anything's possible. It's not as if demon's can't love."

"A-HA! That's what Hiei made it sound like. Like they can't."

"That's silly." Yukina said, getting up. "You look like you're feeling better. And I'm a bit tired. So, good night, Seien."

"Night."

She left and Seien decides she really liked Yukina. They had been getting to be friends, but this was totally unexpected.

As was the familiar figure standing in the window. Seien sighed. This day was getting longer by the second.

"I can come in?"

"Go for it." She had a bone to pick with him.

"I was waiting for Yukina to leave."

"Yeah? That's nice." Seien was purposefully being difficult. She wanted him mad, so she could shout at him.

_I was talking to Kurama. He seemed to think I was wrong. That.. It's a possibility that I would still care for you after. I have...had never heard of such a thing._

"Glad to know you're on top of things like that."

Hiei scowled at her. _I didn't know it mattered that much to you. Or I wouldn't've come back after that first fight. So, I don't know if Kurama's right...but, if it's true I'd stay with you._

_Would you? You wouldn't care?_

_I'd stay,_ _but only if it turns out Kurama's right._

Seien nodded, not looking at him.

_You don't look pleased to hear that._

"How can I be," she whispered, softly, "when you might just leave me? I wonder if it's even worth pretending everything's okay. All of this is just so ridiculous. I don't what to expect, from...anything. I'm supposed to be here training... and I dunno how to rule a country. I dunno even what's going to happen with you..."

_Why don't you get to sleep. _He took Seien's hand. _I'll go to Koenma and tell him you don't believe you're prepare to rule Kumori, knowing what you do. _

Seien took her hand back. "Goodnight then."

_Goodnight, Seien._ Hiei left through the window, briefly illuminated by the waxing moon, before blending into the dark forest.

------------

"Your training will only take place in the morning and afternoon, now." Genkai dropped a stack of books, several tomes deep, on top of Seien's waffles the next morning.

"HEY!"

Genkai pretended not to hear her, "Koenma sent these because you were dissatisfied with how you were being prepared for your reign. They supposedly explain the legal systems and history of Kumori. I hope you enjoy them."

Seien pushed the books off her food, pushed her plate aside and leafed through the top book.

It was a detailed description of the duties of Kumori's ruling King or Queen. It looked sort of interesting. One page contained the royal duties during an execution, another told of how people are expected to greet the King or Queen and what she was supposed to do if they failed to do this correctly. There was a lot of gore.

Seien reached for the next book, but Genkai stopped her. "You have a lesson with _me, _right now. You can do that later."

------------

Genkai and Seien arrived at the clearing. Seien immediately summoned a large glowing orb.

"Put that away," snapped Genkai. "You're going to learn something else today."

"What's that?"

"When we go to the tournament, we will not be able to transport you to the arena directly. It's located in the mountains near Kumori and the location is a secret, so that demon's who were not invited to participate can't find it. So, we will have a guide. Prince Yuki has arranged it, but it still isn't safe for you to be walking around even with a guard. I'm going to teach you to become invisible."

"Aw, sweet." A huge grin appeared on her face...this would be fun to know.

Genkai snorted. "You aren't going to be able to do it right away. And you won't be allowed to either. Now, the first part is going to be learning how to hide your presence from others. To hide your aura."

"i can do that already!" Seien did so, proud she could surprise Genkai with her abilities for once.

"Well, you had to be good at something."

Seien's smile diminished somewhat.

"So now you're going to need to use it to mesh with the background behind you. It's tricky because you need to blend it with all sides of you. Not just the front, but try that first. Once you get the hang of it you should be able to get the rest."

Seien gave it a go. Genkai watched as she disappeared. "No, no. Don't try and produce it from memory. That's not going to get you anywhere unless you're sitting cozily in your bedroom."

For the next few hours Seien tried to 'let her aura' pick up on the details of the surrounding area, instead of her mind, which 'needs to concentrate on other things.' It was very exhausting. However, Genkai finally took her leave and Seien ate her lunch.

She walked back down to the clearing where Hiei was waiting for her; their lessons had been bumped up to the afternoon.

------------

Author's Note/Plea: So guys, I just wanted to ask for your opinion on Hiei and Seien's relationship. I just wanna check and make sure it isn't outrageous or anything. I've tried to place myself in the situations and think what would I do or what I'd think. (Which some times doesn't work, because I'd probably leap on Hiei... XD) So, whatcha think?


	14. All the Better to See You With

Seien stood waiting for Hiei to say something. He didn't and after a minute, gave her a weird look. _Where's your katana?_

"Oh, oops. I'll go get it." Seien trotted away from the clearing.

Hiei sat under a tree to wait for her. _Humans are so slow._ His mind drifted off, thinking about her. It couldn't have been more than 5 minutes before he heard the scream.

He bolted towards the sound. Seien lay motionless on the ground, a dart sticking out of her shoulder. Her katana was still clutched in her fist.

_She was on her way back._

Hiei scooped her up and flew off into the house. He stood on top of the kitchen table and set her down there. Genkai and Yukina, who had been having tea stared at the figure that Hiei had presented to them. _Help her. _He told the urgently and disappeared again, _I'm going to find who did this._

Genkai stood up. "Yukina, see if you can do anything. I have to get Kurama and Koenma must be alerted."

Yukina sat, horrified. Her eyes were huge and her hands clenched the table.

"She isn't dead." Genkai told her and ran off.

--

Kurama banged in through the front door, as loudly as Kurama can be expected to bang through a door, which isn't loud enough to be considered banging. He had come straight from school. Yukina and Seien were no longer at the kitchen table.

Seien was in her bed. Yukina had tucked her in and removed the dart from her back.

"Hello Yukina," Kurama said quietly. "She hasn't woken up yet?"

"No." She said. There were tear stains down her cheeks. "Nothing I can do has helped. My powers are useless."

Kurama walked over to the bed. He felt Seien's forehead. She had a fever. Then he took the dart off the night stand, where Yukina had lain it. He pricked his finger with it. There was no poison left in it.

He proceeded to spilt it open and sniffed at the contents. "It's nothing I'm familiar with."

Yukina sobbed.

"But I have an idea. If it's what I think, then it isn't fatal." Kurama said and then muttered to himself, "I don't know if there's a cure though."

"Cure?" Yukina asked, "Why should it need a cure if it isn't fatal? What's it going to do to her?"

"I'll be back. I need to visit Koenma's library. We'll have to work quickly." He left.

--

Seien slept on. Hiei came back, he had found a group of demons with darts and poison that smelled like the one that had been in Seien's back. He killed all of them, but one.

Hiei threw him on the floor. They were in his room. His katana was at the demon's neck. The demon was bloody already and cradled a flattened hand. He was yellowish and bumpy knobs growing all over his head, rather than hair.

_Who are you?_ Hiei demanded, sliding katana along his neck. _Why are you here? Who do you work for? What was in the dart? Is she going to die?_

Hiei flooded the demon's mind with questions, but the demon only whimpered. He finally opened his mouth and burst into flames.

_Fuck._

Hiei walked towards the door, kicking the ashes aside.

By this point everyone was back. Yukina still stood watch over Seien and had been joined by Boton, Koenma, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Genkai.

As he came into the room, Koenma was talking about finding out who did this.

"I found them already." Hiei whispered behind them all. "They were spelled to be silent. They are dead now. I killed all but one. And his remains lay in my room. He tried to speak without the permission of whoever put the spell on him."

Koenma said nothing.

"Kurama said she wouldn't die." Yukina said softly. "Is that true?"

Koenma nodded. "Everything he has found in my library has indicated she will not die."

"What was in the dart then?" Boton asked.

"If Kurama cannot find a cure for her, then she will transform into a demon."

Hiei hissed.

--

Seien's audience stood over her for a few more hours. Koenma finally dismissed Yusuke and Kuwabara; he had nothing for them to do now. They didn't leave though. Not for a while.

After it had been dark for over an hour Yukina went to prepare something for everyone to eat and Koenma took his leave. Boton stayed, waiting to report back when Seien got better. Hiei sat, pondering and keeping watch at his usual tree outside Seien's room.

--

Yukina brought Boton up some food and to keep watch with her, but it wasn't until dawn when Seien stirred. Both Boton and Yukina were half asleep at the foot of her bed when she rolled over and opened her eyes to a red-yellow morning sky.

The world was seemed strangely in-focus to Seien's eyes that morning. She spotted Hiei lounging in his tree in the distance. _Strange... I could never see that far before..._

Yukina woke up as Seien pulled herself to a sitting position and nudged Boton awake. "Thank goodness you're up Seien! We were so worried!"

She turned to face them, with a curious look on her face. She didn't remember anything after running back to the clearing, katana in hand. "Why were you worried? What happened?"

The moment she looked up a look of horror came across both Yukina and Boton's faces. Boton screamed.

A second after that scream Hiei had shattered the window, flinging it open so hard. He surveyed the scene quickly, his sword ready to slash through whatever was there. But he found nothing wrong, except the look of horror on their faces and when Seien looked a him, terrified, he saw that her eyes were now yellow with a cat-like slit of a pupil.

Hiei sighed and sheathed his sword. "Boton, go get Koenma. Yukina, get Kurama."

Neither of them left, they just stared at Seien.

"Hiei," Seien whispered, "What's wrong?"

"You were attacked on your way back to the clearing. You had been shot with a poison. We've all been waiting for you to wake up. Kurama hasn't figured out the cure yet, but he will. "

"What does the poison do?" Seien asked flatly. She could tell he was trying to dodge around it.

"It's going to turn you into a demon."

"Ah."

"You don't seem perturbed by that."

"I guess it wasn't all that unexpected. I mean, one way or another I'm going to be ruling a demon kingdom. A demon kingdom where, in my current state, I will be weaker than every single one of my subjects. Someone had to do something about it. Someone being Prince Yuki, that is. I'm sure he doesn't want to marry a human."

Hiei was slightly put off. Now he couldn't act the hero, the one who had figured it all out. He snapped at he, "You're jumping to conclusions."

"No, I'm not." Seien replied and poked him in the side. He jumped about a foot in the air and promptly scooted out of her reach. "AND you're ticklish! What excellent news."

"Get some sleep. You need rest. I'm going to speak to Yuki about this."

"No, you're not!" She leapt on top of him, pinning him to the floor, "And I'm tired of sleeping. I wanna DO something. And since you're not allowed to talk to that son of a bitch Yuki, I'm going to keep you from doing so."

Hiei flipped her over and held her still while she struggled. "You need to stay still, motionless if possible. Moving gets the poison into your system faster. Kurama hasn't found a cure yet and Koenma doesn't want you as a demon."

Seien wasn't struggling anymore. "Why not?"

Boton spoke up to explain while Hiei carried her back to bed, "Firstly, you mentioned before that humans aren't as powerful as demons; that you would be weaker than all your subjects. This isn't true. Most demons, lesser demons aren't very strong and with your training you should be able to best all of them. Koenma wants you to stay human to prove that you can win against demons and that your spiritual energy is just as strong as demonic energy."

Hiei snorted at this.

"WHAT?!" Boton snarled at him, "That's exactly what he's trying to prove!"

"It's a very...edited version."

"Then YOU explain if you know so much!"

Seien was looking very intently at them. Koenma had told her before that the reason he wanted her on the throne was to improve relations between the Demon, Human and Spirit worlds. She assumed that he just wanted Kumori as an outlet to his own kingdom. She intended to mess with him once she got the throne. If she ever did, she wouldn't be his meek, little pawn.

Boton was now fuming next to Yukina. Hiei had turned to face her.

"Well, princess," Hiei began, hissing out the words, "The idea is to make you a powerful presence sent from Spirit world to cow Yuki's lords and other powerful demons. The minor demons don't give a shit who rules over them. If they do, well, their assassination attempts will be laughable and easily dealt with. Koenma doesn't want to make it common knowledge that humans can become powerful. No, Koenma needs you to keep the demon lord from becoming to confident. Because if they do they might get it into their heads that Spirit World is an easy target to attack. Your place is to stop them; intimidate them. Koenma needs you to do the dirty work for him. he's afraid of the big, bad demons and, as usual, he won't risk his own neck to stop them."

Everyone was quiet for a moment. Hiei turned to look at Boton, "Don't you need to go running off to Koenma? He's going to want to send someone to fix the mess I made of things."

Boton stormed out of the room and Hiei vanished out the window. Only Yukina was left. She tried to be cheerful and asked Seien if she were hungry. Before she left to make soup, she pointed to the pile of books that had been brought up and suggested that Seien could read them if she didn't want to sleep.


End file.
